The invention relates generally to monoclonal antibodies directed toward polymers used to prevent accumulation of mineral deposits in containers for industrial water. These polymers include water-soluble, vinyl polymers such as polyacrylate and sulfonated copolymers of polyacrylic acid and acrylamide. The invention also relates antibody assays for the detection of the polymers. Methods for the detection and monitoring of polymers in commercial water systems are used to optimize treatment of the water to prevent mineral deposits.
Preservation of containers used for holding water for commercial purposes requires removal of mineral deposits. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,756,881 and No. 4,752,443, water-soluble sulfonated copolymers of acrylic acid and acrylamide ("sulfonated copolymers") are used in the treatment of industrial cooling water to prevent corrosion and mineral deposits (scale). The active sulfonated copolymers typically remove dissolved minerals from the cooling water by complexing with the mineral. Over time the complexation sites of the sulfonated copolymer molecules become saturated and the copolymer molecules become inactive, i.e., unable to remove any additional minerals from the cooling water.
To prevent corrosion and scale damage to machinery used for water based industrial cooling systems, as the polymers are inactivated they must be removed and replaced by active sulfonated copolymer. Thus, active sulfonated copolymer must be continually fed into the cooling water to replace the inactive sulfonated copolymer. Maintaining the proper feed level for the active sulfonated copolymer is essential for optimum performance of the water system. An improper feed rate can lead to serious problems. For example, insufficient active sulfonated copolymer can result in the water treatment being overwhelmed by dissolved minerals, thereby causing severe corrosion or scale deposit. On the other hand, maintaining too high a level of the active polymer is very expensive and is an inefficient method for treating industrial cooling water. It is important, therefore, to monitor polymer levels to achieve proper balance of polymers in the containers.
Another class of water-soluble, vinyl polymers, acrylate homopolymers ("polyacrylates"), are used in the treatment of industrial boiler water to prevent corrosion and mineral deposits (scale). These polymers do not have side chains, in contrast to sulfonated copolymers. A polyacrylate commonly removes dissolved minerals from the boiler water by complexing with the mineral. As with sulfonated copolymers, the complexation sites of the polyacrylate become saturated over time, inactivating the molecule and precluding removal thereby of additional minerals from the boiler water.
To prevent corrosion and scale damage to machinery, inactivated polyacrylate polymers must be removed and replaced by active polyacrylate, necessitating a continual input of active polyacrylate into the boiler water. Because maintaining the proper feed level of polyacrylate thus is essential for optimum performance, an improper feed rate can lead to serious problems, much the same as with sulfonated copolymers (see above). By the same token, therefore, it is important to monitor polymer levels to achieve proper balance of polymers in the boilers.
The several methods available conventionally for the determination of polymer concentration in these contexts suffer from lack of specificity or poor sensitivity. For example, the older methods for detecting polyacrylates or sulfonated copolymers include colloid titration with PVSK, complexation with hyamine 1622, or reaction of excess magnesium with chrome azurol S. The above tests detect any polyanionic material and have a detection threshold of only about 50 ppm polymer, which is inadequate to monitor polymers used for preventing mineral deposits.
Presently, the amount of polymers in treated industrial water systems such as polyacrylate in an industrial boiler water system or sulfonated copolymers in industrial cooling systems cannot be inexpensively and rapidly determined. Therefore, monoclonal antibodies were developed which are directed toward polymers such as polyacrylate and sulfonated copolymers in order to detect the polymers and to monitor their concentration to optimize treatment.